Goals scored by opponents have been extremely rare at Muhlenberg soccer games in 2014. Losses suffered by the Mules have been rarer still.

The two Muhlenberg teams played four times last week and combined to go 2-0-2, allowing only one goal in the four games, three of which went into overtime.

That’s how it’s been all year for the Mules, who have little company in Division III when it comes to soccer success this fall.

• Muhlenberg is one of only four schools in Division III with two undefeated soccer teams:

• Muhlenberg women 6-0-1 men 5-0-1
• Emory women 4-0-2 men 7-0-1
• Luther women 7-0 men 6-0
• Messiah women 7-0 men 8-0

• Muhlenberg is one of only two schools in Division III whose soccer teams have combined to allow three goals or fewer:

• Muhlenberg women 6-0-1, 2GA; men 5-0-1, 1GA
• Texas-Tyler women 4-1, 2GA; men 4-0-1, 1 GA

• The Mule men are tied with four other teams for the Division III lead in fewest goals allowed this season:

• Muhlenberg 5-0-1, 1GA
• Lycoming 6-0-2, 1GA
• Middlebury 4-0-1, 1GA
• Oneonta State 6-0-1, 1GA
• Texas-Tyler 4-0-1, 1GA

Muhlenberg allowed its goal in the first game of the season and has a current unscored-upon streak of 518 minutes. The Mules have recorded five straight shutouts for the first time since 2009; the last time they had six clean sheets in a row was 1990.

The men host DeSales, which has scored only five goals in seven games this season, on Wednesday before traveling to regionally ranked Gettysburg for their first road game of the year on Saturday. The Mules will have to go past those two teams – way past – to get to the school record for consecutive shutouts: 13, set in 1988.

Defense has been the key for the women going undefeated through their first seven games for the first time in program history. Despite using three starting goalies, the Mules have allowed only two goals and played with a lead or tied for all but 76 of their 654 minutes. And they’ve gotten just enough offense to win six of those games.

On Saturday, it was a goal by Abby Lazofsky with 54 seconds left in the first overtime that gave the Mules all the offense they needed to knock off McDaniel, 1-0. And that was rare in its own right.

The “golden goal” was the first for the Mules since a 2012 game at Gwynedd Mercy and their first at home since a 2010 game against Haverford. An overtime goal to win a game 1-0? That hadn’t happened since 2001.

The women, who posted a tie and a win against teams ranked ahead of them in the region last week, will look to keep their undefeated record intact when they host 3-3-1 Scranton tomorrow. On Saturday, they travel to nationally ranked Johns Hopkins for what is sure to be a big challenge to their undefeated and defensive accomplishments.